Chai Brady
Keith playing for Ireland. Former Ireland international and Birmingham City player Keith Fahey has urged young people to keep God at the centre of their lives and not to be sucked in by addiction or materialism.
Speaking to The Irish Catholic, Mr Fahey – who was capped for the Republic of Ireland 16 times – said he was on a “crash course of self-destruction” before he found his way back to God.
“I remember at one stage, I was flat out being dishonest. I remember just thinking to myself, ‘you need care now, this isn’t you,’ and that was maybe the voice of God. That was the turning point,” he said.
“There’s no problem with anyone wanting a football career, but I’d also make time for God each day, first and foremost, and you’ll be looked after,” Mr Fahey said.
“I think we can put all these things before God and some people aren’t so lucky to find their way back. It can end up messy: through addiction, alcoholism, all that sort of stuff. People end up taking their own lives because they’re that far gone and lost,” the 39-year-old Dubliner said of the pitfalls of the celebrity lifestyle associated with football.
He adds: “I think once you bring God into the centre, in my experience it works a lot easier, there’s a lot more grace in your life. That would be my suggestion. I just know from my own experience of giving time each day that I’m being looked after, the proof is there.”
He also said that the Church should put more focus on teaching people about the person of Christ. “I think when people talk about Jesus…they just talk about the cross and what he did for us – but he also showed us how to live, performed miracles”.
Mr Fahey has recently returned from a trip to the Holy Land where he participated in a Christian Solidarity Pilgrimage organised by The Irish Catholic. He described it as a “special” place and said “it was lovely – there’s a nice energy there”.
Mr Fahey’s professional football career began as a trainee with Arsenal in the year 2000, he subsequently played with several Irish clubs, with St Patrick’s Athletic being where he spent most of his career.
After being transferred to Birmingham City in 2008, the team won the 2011 League Cup in England.
Read Keith’s full interview here.